Training at home... Sort of...

Hello there, been a while since I've been back to this place. Mainly back here cause, after a good while away from doing any form of martial arts, I've finally started back. Doing Shindo-Kai Karate at the local martial arts gym with my niece and my girlfriend. It's mainly a bit of fun to do on the weekend, something for the whole family as the gym as a mixed class Saturday morning. Also gets my niece out the house and something to look forward to and helps get my girlfriend doing something and getting fit.

Though the thing is, I want to get a little more serious into martial arts again. Been a while since my glory days of doing it every day. Sort of wanting to get back into that feeling again, the feel of sparring, of training... Of just feeling good about myself and having my old confidence back.

However, what makes it difficult is that I work away from home and I don't drive. Last time I was here, I was trying to get back into doing it and started at a gym in Nottingham, however work meant I had to move from anywhere close to that area.

Not to mention it was hard to get home on time, get showered, changed and make it to the gym on time :(. It's hard to really join a gym too cause, the nature of my job often means I'm on the move. I can be at some places for as long as a year or as little as a week.

So wondering if there's any advice people can give me on training at home through the week. I, living in shared diggs or BNB's don't have access to anything like a punch bag or other equipment that would make anything of the like easy.

Wondering if people would be able to recommend some good instructional videos or books that may help improve my technique or at least give me some good ideas to take back with me to the dojo/gym on the weekend.

Can't say I have any tips for training at home always stayed away from technical work and just worked fitness. Get fit for the sessions to maximize concentration and you will pick up more of the teaching

On having to move round for work there are plenty of guys who will turn up for Judo sessions for a one off up to a month or so then move on because of work or because they were just visiting on holiday. Although these tend to be people to learned the basics at their home (or Primary) club.

Obviously with Judo being a international sport it may clubs resonantly standardised within a national governing body. I don't know Karate that well but I get the feeling there is more difference between clubs so it may be harder to dip in and out of different ones.

So you could look for something which you could do at a number of clubs like boxing is popular enough that they will be somewhere near most places you could be based

In your position I would just concentrate on personal physical fitness. Take some time out every day and beast yourself through some bodyweight exercises, run the block until you puke, do a million burpees, etc. It's not as good as actual training, but fitness is never a hindrance. Strong people are harder to kill.

However, I don't think there's any reason why you can't jump into training wherever you can. Just tonight at my dojo I was talking a guy who travels a lot for work. He's spending the next few months zig-zagging all over the country, and he has his gi with him. Whenever he pitches up in a new location he immediately seeks out a dojo, talks to the owner and asks to jump in on a few classes. From what I understand, most clubs are happy to have a fellow practitioner pop in for a visit.

Try that. Stuff a gi into a backpack and make sure it's always with you (along with at least a white belt). Whenever you find some spare time on the road, seek out the nearest dojo and ask to sit in. I;d be surprised if the answer was anything but yes.

Be nice to try. As I understand, I'm here at my current work area till Christmas... We'll as far as I know, my job as an habbit of moving you from one city to the next giving around a weeks notice if you're lucky... However I could try and find a gym down here in the mean time if there's is one in walking distance.

I have been concentrating on physical fitness and also got a hold of Lyotto Machidas instructional dvd which isn't too bad to be honest. Was going to a gym near by at the last city though it was more of fitness gym with no martial arts or even a punch bag to work on. I honestly don't think my physical fitness is too bad. Could be better but nothing to worry about, guess it's more technique I want to keep on top of, keep nice, sharp and fast.

I was considering asking my little brother, whom I work with, to see if he'd like to have the odd spar. He's got no martial arts experience but he's a tough cookie and I guess it could keep me on my game. Just, can't imagine him being up for it, also can imagine something like that quickly escalating into a full on fight.

Well thank you all for the advice and I'll try to make good use of it and keep up the training.

Be nice to try. As I understand, I'm here at my current work area till Christmas... We'll as far as I know, my job as an habbit of moving you from one city to the next giving around a weeks notice if you're lucky... However I could try and find a gym down here in the mean time if there's is one in walking distance.

I have been concentrating on physical fitness and also got a hold of Lyotto Machidas instructional dvd which isn't too bad to be honest. Was going to a gym near by at the last city though it was more of fitness gym with no martial arts or even a punch bag to work on. I honestly don't think my physical fitness is too bad. Could be better but nothing to worry about, guess it's more technique I want to keep on top of, keep nice, sharp and fast.

I was considering asking my little brother, whom I work with, to see if he'd like to have the odd spar. He's got no martial arts experience but he's a tough cookie and I guess it could keep me on my game. Just, can't imagine him being up for it, also can imagine something like that quickly escalating into a full on fight.

Well thank you all for the advice and I'll try to make good use of it and keep up the training.

Been in a very similar situation a couple of years ago. Again as per already mentioned by other posters look at using the time away to improve your fitness. A pair of trainers don't take up a lot of space in your suitcase and it won't take you long to work out some kind of training regime in the local park (pressups/crunchies etc)

If you wanted to cross train in judo I suspect that most local clubs would be happy for you turn up and train with them for a nominal fee. I personally think that this would be your best (and cheapest) bet.

As karate is your thing you could probably do a bit of google-fu and find a local karate club who would happy to do a similar arrangement. The chances are it will probably be a different style to what you are doing but Shotokan is pretty common across the UK. Look for JKA or KUGB clubs if you can.

Just bear in mind that the quality of karate varies hugely and there are some god awful clubs out there. One I would definatly recommend avoiding is GKR karate.

Punching bags. Several kinds. There is this one bag I used at a Kempo place I trained at that was two bags attached by a bar at the top. Loved it. Can't find a picture or video though. Anyway, punching bags. Watch videos. Imitate.

"We often joke -- and we really wish it were a joke -- that you will only encounter two basic problems with your 'self-defense' training.
1) That it doesn't work
2) That it does work"
-Animal MacYoung

As karate is your thing you could probably do a bit of google-fu and find a local karate club who would happy to do a similar arrangement. The chances are it will probably be a different style to what you are doing but Shotokan is pretty common across the UK. Look for JKA or KUGB clubs if you can.

Just bear in mind that the quality of karate varies hugely and there are some god awful clubs out there. One I would definatly recommend avoiding is GKR karate.

Aye, I do like to jog on a morning if I'm in an area that's good for a jog on a morning. Doing sit ups, push ups and the such, even fetch a set of dumbells down with me if I can get them in the van.

As for the Karate. Honestly, I'd give anything a go if I can find somewhere. Regardless of the martial art. If there's a MMA gym in the area, I'd join that, Kickboxing, boxing... Kung Fu. Just like to train again in what ever I can, keeping the momentum going in my body. Feels a bit crap to be honest just training on a Saturday. Cause you get that momentum in your body and the feel for it... Then you've got to wait for another week of work to go before you can go again.

The problem I often get is that, I've had a bad experience with gyms that seem to have the attitude of "it's either my gym or someone else's gym, not both" So get the feeling that I'll be shoe'd out the door once I mention I train else where or they find out. That or they may not want to waste their time on a fellow who may only be around for a few lessons then could be off.

That said, with having been told how long I should be here in Birmingham (Three months) it may give me the chance to find a gym that is willing to take on a student on the knowledge that I'll be gone after Christmas.

Also, to add to this. I'm not sure why this thread as been moved. Was this thread a little off topic for the section? The section was for beginners looking for basic advice on techniques and how to improve techniques and I do believe my question was indeed of that subject... Oh well. Doesn't bother me the thread being moved but just curious as to why.

Thank you for your advice.

Originally Posted by crappler

Punching bags. Several kinds. There is this one bag I used at a Kempo place I trained at that was two bags attached by a bar at the top. Loved it. Can't find a picture or video though. Anyway, punching bags. Watch videos. Imitate.

See the problem with this is that, as said, I spent most my week in hotels or bnb's. So it's a lot of hassle trying to get a punch bag down there (have to be a free standing one) then getting the staff to allow me to use one in their hotel/bnb. So that's not an option for me as much as I would like it to be. Suppose I could possibly do more shadowboxing

Right. I guess I could have read your posts a little more carefully, because I think you already said that. That's a tough one. I guess practice tumbling (Ukemi) in any grass field/park you can find? Of course, without instruction your pretty fucked but it's better than nothing. And this

"We often joke -- and we really wish it were a joke -- that you will only encounter two basic problems with your 'self-defense' training.
1) That it doesn't work
2) That it does work"
-Animal MacYoung